fashion

THE CHALLENGE:Create a look for the everyday woman (every age, every size) that can be reproduced and sold on justfab.com.

I had a few issues with how the designers handled this challenge:1. Most of the designers had no concept of what "can be reproduced" means. If you add a thousand intricate design details, it can't be reproduced. Duh.

2. Most of the designers had no concept of what "sold on justfab.com" means. If you're selling to an online market, it has to stand out on the website. The runway was an ocean of grey, black, and beige, and very few of them used any color, which always sells better online.

3. Most of the designers had no concept of who the "everyday woman" is. Mini skirts, crop tops, and drop crotches are generally not what the everyday woman is looking for.

I think things would have gone better if the designers had been required to use "everyday women" as their models, because having the opportunity to ask them questions and find out what they actually wanted to wear and to buy could have been helpful.

BUT NO ONE ASKED ME, DID THEY. I'm telling you, Project Runway should hire me as a content consultant.

My Top 3:

1. Laurence BasseI definitely think Laurence deserved the challenge win. Jumpsuits are super trendy right now, and hers was basic enough to make it wearable but unique enough to stand out. GOD BLESS HER for adding a little extra room in the hips; as anyone who has a bit of a booty knows, finding a jumpsuit or romper that fits your top and bottom half is a feat of impossible proportions. I love the little pop of color in the back, and overall I think she met the challenge requirements perfectly.

2. Erin RobertsonI don't think Erin's look was very reproducible (because really, is the everyday woman going to buy a neoprene bell-skirt dress? Probs not.) That said, I love the color combination, I love that the belt can be snapped in the front or the back to create a stronger waistline, and I love how clear her aesthetic is coming through from challenge to challenge. I really hope she makes it to the top of the entire competition.

3. Tasha HendersonGoing into the competition, Tasha said she designed for girls who weren't girly, and that aesthetic really shows in this dress. I love the sporty vibe with the t-shirt style top and the mesh bottom, and it looks like a dress for girls who don't like wearing dresses (or for girls who do...I love wearing dresses and I'd buy this in a second!) I think she should have styled it with sneakers instead of the pumps, but other than that I have no complaints and I'm excited to see what Tasha does next!

My Bottom 3:

1. Linda MarcusThis might be one of the few times I agree with the judges on both the winner and the loser. Knit dresses are awful. Using chiffon or organza or whatever it was for that kimono jacket was even more awful. And to stand up in front of the judges and say that this is a look for someone whose body has changed after having kids? Get real.

2. Sarah DonofrinoI thought Sarah's look last week was basic and boring, and I think the same thing of this. I could get any of her pieces on the clearance rack at Kohl's, and there's nothing wrong with the clearance rack at Kohl's, but if you're designing on Project Runway, your looks have to be more elevated.

3. Kimber RichardsonThis look wasn't a bad idea in theory, but Kimber had pretty terrible time management issues and it showed in her construction. She also had an issue recognizing that women with curvier bodies don't want a pant that obviously will emphasize a stomach and a top that obviously will constrict the boobs. I don't know why it's hard to understand that women aren't all the same size. Ugh.

So there were a few hits and a few misses this week. If there ends up being an actual "real woman" challenge I think we might have some trouble, but who knows! Maybe the designers will step it up by then.

In the meantime, CONGRATS, Laurence!

And congrats to justfab.com for not screwing up the reproduction of Laurence's look as so many retailers have done in previous seasons. If it wasn't sold out in every size (already!) I would totally snap it up.

I’ve had the premier of Season 15 of Project Runway marked in my planner for weeks. It looks like this group of designers is extremely talented, and I’m excited to see what’s in store!

Let’s meet the designers really quick:

Nathalia JMag

Nathalia has a zero-waste sensibility to her design process and is an eco-friendly designer. Her personal style is really edgy and cool.

Erin Robertson

Erin is clearly a quirky and whimsical designer. She loves to play with texture and color, and she likes to make statements with her art.

Sarah Donofrino

Sarah has a very “ModCloth” aesthetic. She loves vintage inspired ready-to-wear, and her eye for mixing prints and color is unique.

Mah-Jing Wong

Mah-Jing’s design muse is his wife, and he has a good eye for what looks good on women’s bodies.

Roberi Parra

Roberi is from Venezuela, and he came to the U.S. with $2 in his pocket after his design studio was robbed multiple times. His design aesthetic is extremely artistic and meticulous.

Rik Villa

Rik has been working in the fashion industry for the past 5 years. His aesthetic reads utilitarian and menswear inspired.

Alex Snyder

When Alex auditioned for Project Runway a few seasons back, and Tim Gunn called him “half-baked,” which motivated him to return to school, get his degree, and now he owns a business and teaches design at a college.

Kimber Richardson

Kimber postponed her design passions to raise her family, and has since gotten her degree and pursued her career. She frequently uses a Japanese dying technique.

Linda Marcus

Linda, like Kimber, also gave up her career to raise her kids. She auditioned last year, but has since developed her aesthetic and technique.

Tasha Henderson

I’m a little bit in love with Tasha because she brought baked goods for the judges during her audition. She designs for the woman who wants to look good but isn’t too girly, and enjoys everyday, relaxed clothing.

Brik Allen

Brik is a nice southern boy who likes women to look put-together, strong, and confident.

Jenni Richetti

The audition judges said Jenni’s aesthetic was “Instagram Boutique-ey,” and I’d have to agree. She likes minimalist street style and chunky textures.

Ian Hargrove

Ian is a Chicago-based designer, and his aesthetic is super minimalist, which is surprising because he has a very loud personality. His inspiration is based on the Olsen twins.

Cornelius Ortiz

Cornelius uses a Japanese cutting technique, which “eliminates seam lines to create new ones.” Not quite sure what that means or how he’ll be able to use it on the show, but we’ll see!

Laurence Basse

Laurence went to design school, but postponed her career to pursue modeling with Kate Moss. Now in her 40s, she’s returned to designing and has a cool, modern vibe.

Dexter Simmons

Based on his audition interviews, Dexter is probably the diva of the season. He loves color and pattern and Native American inspiration.

THE CHALLENGE:Use unconventional materials found in the Season 15 launch party room to create a look that represents your aesthetic.

It’s always rough when the designers are forced to do an unconventional challenge right at the beginning of the season, but as far as unconventional materials challenges go, there weren’t any looks that were so bad that they obviously deserved to go home (I’m talking bad, like Emilio’s washer bikini from season 7…still haunting my memories.)

Because there are 16 designers I’m not going to go through everyone’s designs, but just as the judges pick their Top 3 and Bottom 3 designers, I will do the same. HERE WE GO.

My Top 3:

1. Erin RobertsonIt was clear in Erin's audition that she liked to use yellow, and obviously, she really likes to use yellow. I was a little concerned for her time management, and she slipped this on her model with less than ten minutes to spare, but I can't argue with her results. This look had major runway impact and her technique was incredible. Definitely a well-deserved win!

2. Roberi ParraSo artistic. I cannot.The fact that Roberi twisted and manipulated paper lanterns to make this look is remarkable, and his on-the-fly creativity will get him far in this competition. I don’t get why half of the judges didn’t like this look, because it’s one of the best uses of unconventional materials I’ve ever seen.

3. Brik AllenBrik almost got sent home for this look, and I don’t think that was very fair. Granted, his styling was off and the bell bottom pants were a little too short. HOWEVER. The judges called his outfit “Lady Gaga meets Disco” as if that was a bad thing…as if Lady Gaga wouldn’t put on those glitter pants and wear them for days. The look might have been seen as more cohesive if he had made glittery hot pants instead of glittery bell bottoms, but I saw where he was going and I appreciated his technique. He made a top out of BASEBALL HATS, for goodness sake. Give the man credit where it’s due.

My Bottom:

1. Ian HargroveHonestly, I don’t think this was the worst look. I didn’t think he really deserved to go home, and I will always want to root for a Chicagoan. But his attitude toward Tim Gunn and the judges? Absolutely not. If Tim Gunn tells you your outfit lacks runway impact, you add more to your outfit. If Zac Posen tells you your outfit was blah on the runway, you don’t argue with him. You can argue when you’re Tim Gunn and Zac Posen, but you aren’t Tim Gunn or Zac Posen yet, which is why you’re on Project Runway and you aren’t already a famous designer. A lack of humility always irritates me to no end, and for that I agree with the judges on sending him home.

2. Sarah DonofrinoThe judges voted this look as safe, but it just looked too crafty to me. Maybe she was thrown by the unconventional materials, but it looked like I could have made her outfit with construction paper and hot glue. I don’t think it was up to par with the Project Runway skill set, and she's going to need to step up her design game.

3. Dexter Simmons…how on earth was this voted in the top? IT LOOKS LIKE A NATIVE AMERICAN ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN. This seriously couldn’t be more ridiculous. Sometimes I think the judges must be on the crack pipe. That is all.

Overall, the show was great, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the designers put forth in the coming weeks.

...and CONGRATS, Erin! You've set the bar pretty high this season. Keep it up!